Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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24764   Private Francis Donaghy
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 01/05/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 18/01/1893
Died: 01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age: 23
Summary      
Francis Donaghy lived at Coagh Street, Cookstown, and for a number of years before the outbreak of the First World War had worked as a barman in the Railway Bar in Cookstown. He enlisted in Cookstown on 15th July 1915 and was killed in action near Thiepval on the first day of the Somme Offensive. He was listed as missing and has no known grave.
Further Information
Francis Donaghy was the son of Francis and Rachael Donaghy. Francis Donaghy and Rachael Mulholland were married on 11th May 1888 in Cookstown.
Francis Donaghy (junior) was born on 18th January 1893 in Cookstown.
Known family: Francis Donaghy, Rachael Donaghy, Patrick Donaghy (born 8th March 1891), Francis Donaghy (born 18th January 1893), John Henry Donaghy (born about 1895).
The 1901 census lists Francis as age 8 living with the family at house 27 in Coagh Street, Cookstown. His father was a labourer.
Francis’ mother died on 20th January 1903, when he was just ten years old.
Francis Donaghey (senior) married Sarah McKeown on 17th August 1903 in Cookstown.
Coagh Street Cookstown
The 1911 census shows that his father had remarried about 1903. The family still lived in Coagh Street. Eighteen year old Francis and his father both were employed as labourers.
For a time before the outbreak of the war, Francis had worked as a barman in the Railway Bar in Cookstown.
Frank Donaghy enlisted in Cookstown on 15th July 1915.
Medal card
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 27th November 1915: Soldiers Arrested in Cookstown
Sergeant Hayes on Wednesday arrested in Cookstown two local members of the 3rd Inniskillings named William Rooney and Frank Donaghy; while Constable Donegan arrested John Bradley of the same battalion. The trio were charged before Mr Henry Alfred Mann. J.P., on Thursday with being absentees from their battalion in Derry. They were remanded pending the arrival of an escort, which came for them on Thursday. The escort was in charge of Sergeant Major Rundle, formerly recruiting officer in Cookstown, whom many friends were pleased to see looking in the pink of condition. A remarkable fact regarding the three accused soldiers is that they broke bounds in Derry on Saturday night and walked all the way to Cookstown via Dungiven and over the mountains. This performance does credit to their marching ability whatever may be said amongst them otherwise.
Private Francis Donaghy and was killed in action near Thiepval on the first day of the Somme Offensive on 1st July 1916. Private Donaghy was initially listed as missing. He was 23 years old.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 12th August 1916:
Newspaper Report
Private Frank Donaghey, officially reported missing, was a native of Coagh Street, and joined the Irish Brigade on 15th July 1915. He was previously a barman in the Railway Bar, Cookstown.
Private Francis Donaghy has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 4D-5B on Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
Private Francis Donaghy is also commemorated on Cookstown Cenotaph.
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Relevant Cookstown Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Coagh Street Cookstown Central Lived in Coagh Street 54.648399 -6.744787
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Donaghy family Possible listing of Francis as age 8 living with the family at house 27 in Coagh Street, Cookstown
2 1911 Census lists Donaghy family Possible listing of Francis as age 18 living with the family at house 49 in Coagh Street, Cookstown
3 National Archives UK Medal card can be purchased here
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023